Phonograph



I. J. VETTER Feb. 23 1926.

PHQNOGRAPH Original Filed May 29, 1922 Mia Mei;

Patented Feb. 23, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IGNATIUS J. VETTER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PHONOGRAPI-I.

Original application filed May 29, 1922, Serial No. 564,645. Divided and this application filed January 28,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IGNATIUS J. Vnr'ruu, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of few York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Phonographs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to phonographs or sound reproducing apparatus and more particularly to phonographs of the type in which a sound disk or record with reproducing needle delivers the sounds through a tone arm into a suitable enclosure generally described as a horn whose sides are of a material capable of being set into vibration by the sounds delivered into the enclosure from the tone arm.

My present application forms a division of my application filed May 29th 1922, Serial No. 564:,6et5.

The object of the invention as herein set forth and claimed is, generally stated, to increase the volume and quality of the tone and secure a faithful reproduction of the recorded sound.

My present application relates more particularly to the means f0" reinforcing the vibrations communicated from the wall of the enclosure or horn to an amplifying sound box through an intermediate sound board or rack of sound boards as claimed in my foregoing application and my present invention consists especially in the combination of parts whereby the vibrations of another rack or member are super-added to or superimposed upon the vibrations of said intermediate rack to amplify the vibrations affecting the side or enclosing wall of the resonator.

To effect this result according to my present invention a sounding board or rack of sounding boards is properly sustained within the enclosure which receives the sounds from the tone arm and is itself in vibrational engagement, through suitable posts, with the vibrating side or wall of the horn or sound enclosure which is itself vibrationally engaged with the intermediate sound boards or rack of sound boards as claimed in my foregoing application.

In addition to improving the loudness of the sound by thus superimposing the vibrations of two independent vibrating members or sound boards I further propose, ac-

Serial No. 688,994.

cording to my present invention, to improve the quality of the reproduction and enhance the effect, by the employment of resonators of different size or pitch each having a face vibrationally connected to the apparatus and both responsive to the sounds or vibrations set up by the record.

This part of my invention consists essentially in the employment of a plurality of resonators which, being responsive to and serving to reinforce sounds or tones respec tively of different pitch or rate, will, by their combined effect, cause all the qualities or tones or differences of pitch of the sounds emanating from the record to be more faithfully reproduced without. the objectionable effect present in instruments where but one resonator is employed and is adapted to respond only to the lower rates of vibrations. By this part of my invention the howling or booming effects so often experienced where a single amplifying horn or a single resonator is employed may be largely avoided.

It will also be found that by employing a plurality of resonators, as herein described, the reproduction of orchestral music is greatly improved since the characteristic sounds or tones of different instruments may be reinforced by different resonators adapted to respond to the fundamental characteristic tones of the several instruments. By this means the quality and faithfulness of the reproduction of orchestral music is greatly improved.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of an apparatus embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevation and partial vertical section of the same.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the enclosure into which the sounds from the tone arm are delivered, a portion of the side wall being broken away.

Fig. f is a perspective view of a typical form of resonator.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the sound board or rack made up of a number of sound boards vibrationally connected through sound transmitting dowels or posts.

A indicates the table or top of a cabinet or enclosure for the apparatus and L the tone arm mounted thereon and carrying a needle engaging the record T which is driven by the motor M in the usual manner.

From the tone arm sounds are delivered into an enclosure indicated typically as a horn the side wall or Walls a of which enclosure are adapted to vibrate under the effect of the sounds delivered into the enclosure by the tone arm. rom the vibrating Wall a the vibrations are delivered to an intermediate rack H, and from thence to the resonators I. Eac i said resonator may be of the form shown or of any other suitable term and be provided with sound posts 2' glued to the top and bottom of the instru ment and serving to hold it in place. One of these posts for that purpose ma engage the bottom of the table A and the other at the lower end of the resonator may engage and be supported by a crosspiece of the instrument.

The resonators are preferably of seasoned spruce and the face m of each is provided preferably with openings or holes 11. in the form of scrolls in instruments of the violin type. Sound posts p inside the instruments or resonators I serve to brace the face on so that it can. receive and properly resist pressure applied to improve the vibrat-ional connection 'ith the other parts oi the apparatus. The intermediate raclc or vibrational carrier H preferably made of vibrating sound boards consisting of a bank of spruce boards running parallel to each other and held together in spaced relation by dowels or posts 8 y a which pass through and are glued to the boards. The boards are of any desired number and the posts 8 s extend beyond the boards to on side thereof and vibrationally engage the sound board a forming a wall of the enclosure which re ceives sounds from the tone arm. Posts t engage a face of the resonator. Tension is put upon the carriers or banks oi-i boards H to secure the resonators in firm vibrational engagement with the sound boards a in any desired way, as for instance by means oi rods or bolts 6 connected at their ends with clips 6 on the opposite side of the enclosure from that on which a resonator I is positioned. The rods also engage with clips 0 on the back of the resonators I and tension is applied by means of the tightening nuts or screws '2'.

The etl ect of this arrangement is, as to each resonator, that the vibrations of the side a of the enclosure are communicated to the face of the resonator through the vibrational carrier consisting of the sound board or rack of sound boards H which adds its effect to that primarily set up by the vibrating side end of the enclosure.

The structure as so far described forms the subject of claims in my prior application. My present invention relates to the means for enhancing, reinforcing, or superadding to the vibrational effects produced on the face of the resonator, to accomplish which I provide within the enclosure which communicates with the tone arm, a rack 11) of sound boards made up of boards of spruce or other suitable material arranged in the enclosure, as shown, and receiving the sound vibrations from the tone arm. The members of the rack E are connected by sound posts or dowels in a similar way to those making up the rack H and the vibrations of the boards f are communicated to the side wall a of the enclosure and superadd to or reinforce the vibrations thercolf, as communicated to the resoi'iators, producing; a greatly enhanced etect as respects loudness owing to the increased amplitude of the vibrations of the face in of the resonators beyond that which would be secured it dependence were placed solely upon the vibration of the wall '12 independently of any vibrations communii'zatcd thereto itrom the supplemental racl; E within the enclosure of which the board a or vibratory surface forms a bounding wall.

To improve the quality of the reproduction a plurality of resonators I is employed, the members of said plurality having respectively a dill'erent natural rate of vibration or reintorcing;- ell'ect. In this respect my invention differs from previous constructions since heretofore, where resonators have been employed, dependence has been placed upon one only, which has usually been made to respond more readily to one rate of vibration, usually the lowest rate of the tundamentzl tones upon which the complex tones of the reproduction are superimposed. The effect of so employing but one resonator is that it made to respond readily to the lower rates with the idea or purpose of increasing the volume, there is a tendency to production of howling, rat tling, or rumbling ell'ect or sound which otten obscures the liner vibrations of the reproduction.

l urthermore, in the case of reproduction of orchestral music, an apparatus thus provi .ed with one resonator is incapable of reinforcing eli'ectually the tones ol the diii'erent instruments which themselves have ditterent fundamental tones. By, however, employing a plurality of resonators ot ditferent size or pitch respectively, the diliiculties heretofore encounterei'l are av it" ed and more perfect and faithful reprodi tion oi. the diii'erent compound or charar-i istic vibrations of different i; btrumei'its is secured.

I do not limit myself to any particular number of resonators employed in this manner even though but two are shown inasmuch as a larger number mi ght be employed with the same characteristic result.

lVhat I claim as my invention is z- 1. In a sound reproducing or transmitting instrument, the combination of a vibrator side wall for a sound enclosure, a resonator,

an'intermediate sound board having sound transferring posts engaging respectively with said side wall and a side of the resonator and a rack of sound boards within the inclosure vibrationally engaged with the in side thereof and communicating its vibrations to those of the intermediate rack to superadd their effects to those produced in the side wall and thereby reinforce the total effect upon the resonator.

2. in a sound reproducing instrument, the combination of a resonator, a sound en closure receiving sound vibrations from the record, a vibratory wall for said enclosure, an intermediate sound board between said wall and the resonator and a vibratory sound board receiving directly the vibrations delivered into the enclosure and vibrationally engaged with the wall of the enclosure to superadd its effects and increase the extent of the vibrations of the intermediate board communicated to the resonator.

In a sound reproducing instrument, the combination of a resonator, a vibratory side wall for a sound enclosure, a rack of sound boards interposed between the resonator and the side wall and vibrationally engaged with said wall and with the resonator and a second rack of sound boards disposed within the enclosure in line with the opening fro-1n the tone arm and themselves vibrationally engaged with the inner side of the wall so as to superimpose the vibrations of said. interior rack upon those produced upon the intermediate rack from the outside of the wall.

4. in a sound reproducing instrument, the combination of a resonator, a vibratory side wall for a sound enclosure and two racks of sound boards one interposed between the resonator and the outside of the wall and the other mounted within the enclosure and engaged with the inside of the wall through suitable sound posts.

5. In sound reproducing apparatus, the combination of a resonator, a sound enclosure into which sound is delivered directly from the tone arm, a sound vibrational carrier consisting of a rack of boards vibrationally engaged with a face of the resonator and with the outside of a vibratory wall of such enclosure and a rack of sound boards mounted within the enclosure and substantially parallel with said wall and vibrationally engaged with the inside thereof to reinforce, by their effect, the vibrations in said wall itself.

6. In a sound reproducing instrument, the combination with a member thereof responsive to the sound vibration reproduced from the record, of a plurality of resonators of different size having their faces connected with said member.

7. In a sound reproducing instrument, the combination with a horn, of a plurality of resonators of different size respectively and all having a face vibrationally connected with the side of the horn.

8. in a sound reproducer, the combination with a plurality of vibratory side Walls for a sound receiving enclosure, of a. plurality of resonators differing in size and sound posts vibrationally engaging the side walls and the faces of said resonators.

9. In a sound reproducing instrument, the combination with a sound receiving enclosure having vibratory side walls, of a plurality of resonators of different size respectively, each held in place by posts projecting from its ends parallel with its face and means vibrationally connecting the faces of said resonators with said walls.

1G. in a sound reproducing instrun'ient, the combination of a sound enclosure receiving sound from the tone arm, a plura-lity of resonators of different size respectively and means connecting said resonators vibrationally with the walls of said enclosure.

11. In a sound reproducing instrument, the combination of an enclosurereceiving sound vibrations delivered from the sound record or transmitter into the space within the enclosure, a plurality of resonators of different size respectively and means responsive to the sound vibrations within the enclosure and vibrationally connected with said resonators.

12. In a sound reproducing apparatus, the combination of a sound'enclosure receiving sound vibrations directly from the record, devices responsive to the sound vibrations within said enclosure, a plurality of resonators of different size respectively and means vibrationally connecting the same with said devices within the enclosure.

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York this 26th day of January A. D. 1924.

IGNATIUS J. VETTER. 

